NORCROSS, GA -- (Marketwire) -- May 01, 2012 --
Fast chargers for electric vehicles (EV) made by
Efacec are now in use in Illinois and California. Many more installations are planned.

An Efacec unit recently became the first fast charger in California, when 350Green, which develops EV charging networks, installed it at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto. Another 24 installations are planned for the Bay Area.

350Green has also placed 26 Efacec fast chargers in the Chicago area, with another 73 planned. Current locations include Midway Airport and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Motorists can also charge electric vehicles at 7-Eleven sites at four Tollway Oasis locations, and will soon be able to charge at a total of eight locations. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn recently announced that his state will have the nation's largest network of EV fast-chargers.

"Efacec is a true leader in ETL-certified fast chargers operating in the U.S.," said Jorge Guerra, Efacec's Chief Operating Officer for North America. "Our fast chargers will help speed up acceptance of electric cars as practical, environmentally-friendly transportation solutions," he added. "They also create U.S. jobs, which helps the economy."

Efacec's QC50 Electric Vehicle DC Fast Charger can charge a vehicle in 30 minutes or less; other chargers can take several hours to deliver a full charge.

The firm began manufacturing the fast chargers last November in Norcross, Ga., the headquarters of its North America Operations. Group Efacec, a global player in technologies for EV charging stations and applications for the management of charging networks, has been manufacturing the QC50 DC Fast Charger in Europe for two years. While 350Green has contracted for 900 units, Efacec also has the capacity to serve other clients, including utility companies.

The Norcross facility and the chargers themselves were recently awarded the ETL certification. The chargers are also CHAdeMO and CE certified. The extensive testing required for the certifications ensures that the QC50 DC Fast Charger meets the highest possible safety standards in both wet and dry weather.

Efacec enjoys a solid reputation for high quality, advanced technology and integrated Smart Grid solutions that blend advanced charging station technology, grid optimization and the application of distributed energy resources. Its Smart Grid solutions are designed to turn an impending burden on the grid into a benefit by increasing grid performance and efficiency.

Efacec is a respected player in the electric vehicle charger market worldwide. In 2010, early investments in high quality technology started to pay off when Nissan selected Efacec to support the launch of the Nissan Leaf in Europe, and for its Technical Center in the United Kingdom. Chargers are also operating in other important international projects, including the Turkish Esarj Electric Mobility network. They are being used in the development of electric mobility solutions for Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. Group Efacec has also received orders for fast chargers from Spain, England, the Netherlands, Brazil and the Republic of Georgia.

About Efacec
Group Efacec, formed in 1948, is a leader in the field of electricity. Based in Portugal, it employs almost 5,000 people in 65 countries. Efacec has been serving U.S. customers since 1998. In 2007, it established its headquarters for North America in Norcross, Ga. Its North American operations include three companies: Efacec USA, Inc., Efacec Power Transformers, Inc., and Efacec Advanced Control Systems, Inc. (ACS.) More information is available at
www.efacecusa.com.